Crowd lauds virtues of U.S. citizenship

Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein, retired NBA star Bill Walton and John and Diane Eckstein chat before the Eckstein's began a cross-country biking-and-walking trip to promote citizenship. Walton rode with the group on Friday as they departed San Diego. Weissman Klein founded Citizenship Counts, a non-profit that works to teach children about civics and citizenship.
— Elizabeth Aguilera

Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein, retired NBA star Bill Walton and John and Diane Eckstein chat before the Eckstein's began a cross-country biking-and-walking trip to promote citizenship. Walton rode with the group on Friday as they departed San Diego. Weissman Klein founded Citizenship Counts, a non-profit that works to teach children about civics and citizenship.
— Elizabeth Aguilera

Juan Martinez Mata fills out a voter registration form after swearing in as a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony Friday at San Diego High School. He calls the privilege a "dream."
— Elizabeth Aguilera

Juan Martinez Mata fills out a voter registration form after swearing in as a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony Friday at San Diego High School. He calls the privilege a "dream."
— Elizabeth Aguilera

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Gerda Weissmann Klein watched Friday as the dreams of 50 people were made real during a citizenship ceremony at San Diego High School.

The Holocaust survivor and champion of freedom had spent years in a concentration camp, then endured a brutal march at the end of World War II that killed thousands of people.

“Perpetuate the pride of being American and what it stands for,” said Weissmann Klein, who addressed the new citizens, their families, friends and students at the school. “If you have been deprived of freedom like I was, to say what you want, to go where you want, that is what it means to be free.”

Her presence was a highlight for students and the new citizens, who represented a mosaic of countries including Bulgaria, Colombia, France, Iraq, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Somalia and the United Kingdom.

“It’s a great honor for these people to share their moment with us,” said Denise Ortega, 17, a junior at the school. “We are given a lot more opportunities to do things that people can’t do in other countries. We are very lucky.”

The United States has about 8.1 million legal permanent residents who are eligible to apply for naturalization, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Friday’s event took place at the downtown San Diego campus because teacher Arlene Harris uses civics and citizenship curriculum created by the nonprofit group Citizenship Counts, which Weissmann Klein founded.

For student Maria Garcia, 17, who was brought to the U.S. at age 2 and remains undocumented, the ceremony was uplifting.

“What Ms. Gerda said touched my heart,” she said. “People go through so much to get here. It made me think of how I can (become a citizen).”

The celebration also marked the kickoff of a cross-country, bicycling-and-walking journey sponsored by Citizenship Counts. Arizonans John and Diane Eckstein, both 69, their dog Kipp and two recent college graduates are participating in the trip. In a show of support, retired NBA player Bill Walton biked the first few miles with the group Friday.

The travelers will visit schools and participate in naturalization ceremonies in an effort to promote civics and good citizenship.

“We are doing this to carry Gerda’s message,” Diane Eckstein said. “It is a message of hope, responsibility, acceptance — a message of understanding that we are a nation of immigrants.”

At Friday’s citizenship ceremony, the audience sang along to “Proud to be an American” during a video presentation. One of the new citizens led the crowd in an impromptu, teary and slightly squeaky, a capella rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.”

After all the certificates of naturalization were handed out, Juan Martinez Mata, 64, wasted no time filling out a voter-registration form.

Last week, his 23-year-old daughter became a citizen a day before she went back to college in San Francisco.

“I feel so happy,” said Martinez Mata, a Mexican native who has been in the U.S. for 21 years. “This is the country of dreams.”